Dakle u telefonskom intervjuu sa Andreasom Smitom, Federer je govorio vise o Mirkinoj trudnoci, o saradnji sa Edbergom, novom tandemu u teniskom svijetu Djokovic-Beker, kao i prelasku na novi reket. Naglasicu da se u ovom polusatnom razgovoru Federer vise puta nakasljavao i cistio grlo, priznavsi da je zakacio mali nazeb, ali istovremeno naglasivsi da nije nista ozbiljno. A intervju je tekao ovako:
Roger Federer, in the last few weeks you surprised your fans with some great news. So with the announcement on Christmas Eve, that you are going to become father for the third time in 2014. When will that happen in 2014?
RF: As this is something very personal, so, I won't like to talk about the details in public. Most important now is that every thing goes well and just as last time, Mirka will again experience a good pregnancy. Back in 2009, she was present at
Wimbledon final in that dramatic 5 setter final against Andy Roddick and that too in the eighth month managed to handle it quite easily. It's fine so far. Let us hope that it stays that way.
If it is ... but so far
RF : We are flexible enough to respond. That's the good thing about the tournament calendar of ATP that you can react quickly to something. If a report is important, then I can may be, play just less and a few weeks later more (Hinting: that he might re-schedule his 2014 Tennis calendar/schedule according to the reports & circumstances). This year (2013), I also added spontaneously tournaments from Hamburg and Gstaad in my program. Such short-term changes are also possible at any time in the new 2014 season.
What do you think: How will this change for you be as a future father of three instead of two children?
RF: I do not necessarily think so. Answering this question is anyway until six months or perhaps a year after birth. I still remember how we thought before the birth of our twins: this is excessive. And then it went very well. And now it is getting easier, as they get older. Therefore, I have much less fear of what may come to us in the future, than it was then.
Surprising were the news that you worked together during the preparation with Stefan Edberg. How did that happen?
RF : At some point, I had the thought: Would not it be an incredible thing if my former idol spends a week with me? Thereafter, if nothing else looks out there, so what! We have spent at least a few interesting days together, talking about my tennis and maybe get one or the other inputs from him. Edberg handled my questions very well, inspite of the fact that he has little experience as a coach and that was something new for him. But he makes up for the coaching experience, with the many experiences that he has had throughout in his career. I was really pleased, when he agreed to join us for a week in Dubai.
Will Stefan Edberg will be a permanent part of your coaching staff/team?
No, that's not the case. We will need to discuss this more closely together. But there is a way that we would be happy of course, if he can find a a few weeks in the new season perodically for us. Otherwise, the coaching staff everything remains the same. Severin Luthi is still my coach, there is no reason to change anything. Pierre Paganini's my fitness trainer, Stephane
Vivier my physiotherapist.
Will your game become more offensiveafter the involvement of Stefan Edberg?
RF: No, no. The people have there wrong misconceptions. If you train with Thomas Muster, that does not mean that you in the
future will strike all balls three meters behind the baseline. Similarly, you can't constantly storm to the net and try to volley, if you have worked with Edberg. Each player has his own ideas and his own style, with which he must work. I listen gladly and was always glad over the inputs of my former coaches. I had to implement those ideas myself. In addition, I have my ways not only going in the game forward, but also backwards. So, I think, I'm an interesting player to coach
What impresses you most about Edberg?
RF: The way he plays his volleys, I'll never be able to. He spent his whole life tennis in front of the net and earned his success. I have met Edberg quite a few number of time in the past few years and was never disappointed after meeting him. He always behaves incredibly well and has a positive attitude and joy of life. This is important to me.
You could have also worked with Boris Becker?
RF: Yes, but I was a tad late (laughs). He was already gone (Boris Becker will be the head coach of Novak Djokovic in 2014).
Your first reaction when you heard that Boris Becker will be the head coach of Novak Djokovic?
RF: When ever I & Boris meet, we have always a chat together. Nevertheless, I too was probably as surprised as everyone else. I did not expect that he would return to the tennis front first and foremost. And that, he once again would like to travel so much and be present daily on the training ground. Although I know, he has been a commentator in many matches for Sky and at Wimbledon for the BBC.
Boris Becker now lives in England. Also because he feels misunderstood in Germany. Most of the comments (by Tennis pundits) actually varied between vicious and bitter about new job as coach of Djokovic?
RF: I'm sorry about that. He did great things on the court & no one can deny that. Becker had a great career. What ever happened post that, is his personal matter.
Andy Murray is working with Ivan Lendl together, Stanislas Wawrinka with Magnus Norman, Djokovic with Becker, you get
advice from Edberg. Is this the new trend in tennis that you unite with the stars of the 80s and 90s?
RF: I can speak only for myself: with Stefan Edberg I can talk on equal footing. He was himself very successful and knows what it means to play at the top. And I found it really exciting to talk with someone from the generation of players that you have just mentioned.Previously I apart from Peter Lundgren, never worked with a player of that great generation. Paul Annacone, Tony Roche, José Higueras are all a bit older.
